Geologists use amphibians, fish to study chemical pollution in wetlands

11:27 PM,
Mar. 14, 2014

Hardin Waddle, a research ecologist, attempts to dig a marbled salamander out of the dirt in a terrarium at the National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette, LA, Wednesday, March 12, 2014. Paul Kieu, The Advertiser

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She is not being threatened by organized crime. The fish heads are a tribute to the U.S. Geological Survey microbiologist's innovation. She found a way to use fish eyes to determine a fish's chromosonal, reproductive ability. This helps state, city and national parks and wildlife preserves guard against fish who reproduce so wildly they become a threat to the fish humans love - bass, trout, catfish and so on.

"People mail me fish eyeballs from all over the world," Jenkins said. "One time, a grad student just left a great, big dead ...